Pakistan finalizes Mecca defense pact as Saudi Arabia braces for Houthi strikes

Saudi Arabia faces immediate security threats from Yemen's Houthis while seeking firm allies to support its defense. Against this backdrop, Pakistan announced on Friday that it has ratified a joint defence pact with Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed that Islamabad and Riyadh have completed their ratification procedures for the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The three nations signed the deal on 7 August in Mecca. The agreement establishes a collective defence framework if an external armed attack occurs against any of the three states. The nature and level of assistance will depend on the specific circumstances. Islamabad has described the pact as defensive and consistent with the UN Charter.

The treaty is not yet fully active because Turkey is still working through its domestic approval process. Consequently, the agreement has not been ratified by all three signatories. Khan stated that matters related to the agreement, its ratification, and operationalisation remain under discussion by the three parties.

The path to implementation advanced following a 5 October meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. Participants at that meeting called for the collective defence commitments to be carried out. They also agreed that military forces and capabilities should be deployed rapidly in Saudi Arabia, subject to each country's domestic laws.

The announcement coincides with renewed Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence issued warnings this week about possible danger in Abha and Khamis Mushait in the southwest. Authorities later indicated the danger had passed but did not specify the threat. They advised residents to avoid gathering or filming in the affected areas. Reuters reported on 21 October that Riyadh's allies were mainly offering defensive support as the kingdom worked to protect its infrastructure.

Regional tensions remain high as the Israeli military announced large-scale exercises in the north and centre of the country for Sunday and Monday. The drills involve the air force and units from the Northern and Central Commands. They will rehearse scenarios of surprise air and land attacks and infiltrations to test readiness against multiple front attacks.

These preparations occur as Washington and Tel Aviv reportedly weigh renewed military action against Iran. President Trump said on Friday that the United States might carry out another military operation against Iran as the conflict nears its eighth month. A report in The Business Times citing US officials stated that American and Israeli forces have drawn up plans for fresh strikes after the US midterm elections on 3 November. Possible targets include Iranian energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and missile and drone capabilities.